All my life as a developer, I've leaned on third-party solutions for authentication. They were convenient, reliable, and saved time. But now, for the first time, I want to take the reins and implement my own authentication system for a project. It's a significant step, filled with excitement and a fair share of apprehension.
Custom authentication in Next.js,a myriad of things that can go wrong—token management, route protection, session handling, and more. the main reason i presfferd third party tools or solutions like cleark ,but to gain deeper understanding and greater control over my application's security. iwant to create this repo , and try custom auth
This repository is my learning journey, and I hope it becomes a valuable resource for anyone looking to embark on the same path. I've compiled all the tutorials, articles, and videos that I'm using, so you don't have to start from scratch.
🔗 A great starting point: Custom Auth in Next.js – YouTube Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otq0LY90Qso
Next.js: Authentication (Best Practices for Server Components, Actions, Middleware) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_sUsq_y10U
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Authentication is a cornerstone of modern web applications. While libraries like NextAuth.js offer plug-and-play solutions, building a custom authentication system provides greater control and flexibility. This guide is inspired by the tutorial: Custom Auth in Next.js,(https://dev.to/hexshift/creating-a-custom-authentication-system-in-nextjs-with-jwt-3763) which offers a practical walkthrough of implementing custom authentication in Next.js.
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Install Dependencies: npm install jsonwebtoken bcryptjs
Project Structure: /pages /api login.js register.js refresh-token.js /dashboard.js /login.js /register.js /lib auth.js
Understanding Authentication Flow
The authentication process involves:
User Registration: Collect user credentials and store them securely. User Login: Validate credentials and issue tokens. Token Storage: Store tokens securely on the client-side. Route Protection: Restrict access to authenticated users. Token Refresh: Renew tokens to maintain sessions. Implementing Authentication
Best Practices
Environment Variables: Store secrets like ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET and REFRESH_TOKEN_SECRET in .env.local. Secure Cookies: Set the Secure flag on cookies in production to ensure they're only sent over HTTPS. CSRF Protection: Implement CSRF tokens to protect against cross-site request forgery. Rate Limiting: Prevent brute-force attacks by limiting login attempts. Logging: Monitor authentication events for suspicious activities. Additional Resources
Enhance your understanding with these resources:
Custom Authentication in Next.js Using External Backend Creating a Custom Authentication System in Next.js With JWT Next.js Authentication Guide Conclusion
Building a custom authentication system in Next.js empowers you with greater control over your application's security and user management. It's a journey filled with learning, challenges, and growth. Remember, every expert was once a beginner who didn't give up.
Keep experimenting, stay curious, and don't hesitate to reach out to the developer community when in doubt. Your dedication and perseverance are commendable.
Happy coding! 🚀
This is a Next.js project bootstrapped with create-next-app.
First, run the development server:
npm run dev
# or
yarn dev
# or
pnpm dev
# or
bun devOpen http://localhost:3000 with your browser to see the result.
You can start editing the page by modifying app/page.tsx. The page auto-updates as you edit the file.
This project uses next/font to automatically optimize and load Geist, a new font family for Vercel.
To learn more about Next.js, take a look at the following resources:
- Next.js Documentation - learn about Next.js features and API.
- Learn Next.js - an interactive Next.js tutorial.
You can check out the Next.js GitHub repository - your feedback and contributions are welcome!
The easiest way to deploy your Next.js app is to use the Vercel Platform from the creators of Next.js.
Check out our Next.js deployment documentation for more details.